Circuit-controller attachment for clocks



Nov. 3, 1925- 1,560,127

' J. s. WIGGINS CIRCUIT CONTROLLER ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS Filed March 10.1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l awwwttoz as, wi/3Z 8' Nov. 3 1 7 1,560,127

J. S. WIGGINS CIRCUIT CONTROLLER ATTACHMEN'i FOR CLOCKS Filed March 10-1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 will C VIII/III! 1 Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

UNlTED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

' JOSEPH S. WIGGINS, HAWORTH, NEW JERSEY.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER ATTACHMENT FOR- CLOCKS.

Application filed March 10, 1924. Serial No. 697,993.

To all whom it may concern 130 it known that I, JOSEPH S. VVIGGINS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Haworth. in the county ofBergen and State of New Jersey, have .invented certain new and usefulImprovements 'in Circuit-Cour troller Attachments for Clocks, of whichthe turning on the lights of the vehicle at a predetermined hour.

The invention includes a switch operating arm arranged to be mounted onthe winding shaft of an alarm mechanism with which the clock may beprovided together with means available from a point adjacent the face ofthe clock for rotating the shaft to swing the arm to withdrawn positionso that when the alarm mechanism is released at the predetermined hourthe shaft is rotated to its initial position and swings the arm intooperative or circuit ClOSlllgPOSltion.

The invention also includes the provision of 'means for holding theswitch arm in its withdrawn or inoperative position until such time asit may be placed in condition by the operator to be released at a subsequent hour selected by. the operator and at which the mechanism is setto operate.

The invention also includes means con-- venient to the operatorandadjacent the face of the clock for setting the mechanism to operateat the desired subsequent time.

By the use of the described mechanism the operator may so set the mechansm during dayhghthours that a switch will be automatically closed at apredetermined hour in the evening to turn on the parking lights of thevehicle. The turning oif of the lights at a later hour is utilized toprevent the automatic switching on of the lights at the hour in themorning corresponding to the. lighting hour in the evening, the referredto act of the operator during daylight hours serving to place themechanism in condition to Figure 2 is a rear view of the clock shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation and partly in section of the deviceshown in Figure 1. l I

Figure 4 is a side iew of a device for setting operating mechanismforming part of the clock shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of switch operating parts embodying theinvention and with the parts shown in switch closing position.

Figure 6'is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the parts in inoperativeposition and held in that position. I

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the switch arm in openposition and ready for automatic release to swing to closed position.

Figure 8 is aview in perspective of a switch operating attachment.

Figure 9 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the switchoperatingparts shown in Figure 6.

Figure lOis a view in perspective of a switch operating arm forming partof the switch operating device. I

Figure llis a view of the switch shown in open position.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of theinvention, aclock 10 is shown which is preferably of the gen-' eral typeadapted to be mounted on the switch or control board 10' facing theposition of the driver of a motor vehicle. The clock may be providedwith any standard type of works .11 mounted in a casing 12 parts 'whichis adapted to be fitted into an openpal feature of the present inventionis to provide an attachment for a clock of any general nature andparticularly for the type of clock adapted for use with motor vehicles,which will adapt the clock to control an electrical circuit for anydesired purpose such as to turn on the parking lights of the vehicle onwhich the clock is mounted. The attachment by which this useful functionis attained includes a supporting frame member 13 which can beconveniently attached .to themain frame members ll of the clockwork. Theframe member 13 is provided withra circuit closing arm 14 which is mounted on .the end of the'shaft which is usedto wind' the alarm operatingmechanism ina ordinary clock of the alarm type, the clock to which thecontrol device herein described is attached being provided with theyalarm gear train for the purpose of this invention.

In order to cause the arm 14" to be used to rotate the gear-trainwinding shaft 15 the; knurled thumb piece which is ordinarily attachedtothe sha'ft 15 is,removed and the arm 14 is substituted therefor, thearni having a threaded connection with theend of the shaft 15 and beingprovided with an a upstanding circularlug 17 to form abearing oraXis onwhich a setting arm '20 may,

rotate, the arm 20 being held in position on the lug by means of a "nut.or holding member l8which has threaded engagement with the upperendofthe shaft-'15.. The setting arm 20 .has a link connection 21' withan arm 22 carried by the end of a regulating rod 28 terminating in'awing nut '24 located adthe operator or driver of the, vehicle.

. jacent the dial of theclock adjacent the margin thereof in a positionaccessible to The setting arm 2Qhas a one-way operating connectionwith-the circuit control arm 14 throug'lrthe engagement of thearm 20with an upstanding lug 25 carried by a-rearward extension of the'switchor circuit closing arm 14 as-'is"clearly shown in Figure 8 of" thedrawing.

V The outer extremity of the circuit clos- "ing arm-14 is provided witha roller'26 formed of fiberor other insulating material and'which isadapted to engage aspring terminal member 27 of a circuit closer 28 tothereby force thespring terminal 27 into engagement with the otherterminal 29 of the circuit closer to thereby close a circuitthroughthe'co'nductors 30-'leading, for example, to the lighting systemof the car.

' In the operation efuthedevice the. wing nut 24is turned'to swingthesetting-arm 2O into the position shown in Figure 6 of the drawings inwhich. the circuit controlling arm" 14 1s swung to a position substantally ninety degrees from the Yposition in -which the arm is in circuitclosing position as in a Figure 5iof the drawing. If the inoperativeposition of. the'arm'14 thus described is establ shedv for instanceduring daylight hours, the wing nut is then turned in a reversedirectionto return the setting arm \Vith the relative position of theparts es tab'lishedas in Figure 7 of the drawing when thepredetermined"time has arrived for the closing of the circuit controller'28,

the alarm gear train acts to.release 'tl 1e shaft 15 for TOtfltlOIl'whereupon the spr ng includedin thelalarm operating mechanism returnsthe shaft 15 to its initial position thereby swinging the arm 14 intoposition shown in Figure 5 of the drawing. in which the roller 26engages and/forces a spring terminal- 27 into contact with'the terminal29 to thereby'close the desired circuit.

In the normal operation 'ofithe device the closing of the switch wouldnaturally be caused 'to take place during the daylight hours in order toturn on a parking lamp automatically in the absence of the driver of thevehiclef Later in the evening when it desired to turn off the lights theoperator turnsthe wing nut 24 to swing theparts to the position shown111 Figure 6 of the drawing and allows both the circuit controlling arm14 and the setting arm 20 to remain in th1s inoperative pOSlt1011.' Thereason for hour in the evening at which it is desired'to utilize thedevice, it is necessary to cause the parts to remain inoperative. Thisis acphshed by leaving the parts in the pos tionshown in Figure 6 inwhich it will be seen that the link member 21 is so formed as to bringan inwardly curvedpart 31 thereon into abutting engagement with a stopmemthis is that when the next morninghour on theclock arrlves, whichcorresponds to the ber 82 projecting upwardly from the end of the arm 22in alin'em'ent with'the regulat ing stem or shaft 23, this arrangementthe parts remain in interlocked position,-a dead center effect beingestablished between the extremities of the curved link member 21 and thestop member 32 therebetween.

It will be seen that when the morning hourv is paslsed which correspondsto the control .hour at the other end of the day it is necess'arymerelyfor the operator to reversethe direction of rotation of the wingnut'24and againbring-the parts into the position drown v v in Figure 7of. the drawing which-has 'alpredetermined hour has arrived at the closeif ready been described whereupon when the of the day the'parts willagain automatically operateto close'the circuit as described. In order'to-provide means for setting the alarm regulated gear'which is utilizedin the operation of the herein, described invention, the thumb nut whichis. ordinarily employed at the back of the clock on thealarmsetting;shaft 331s removed; and replaced a spur- ,gear 34. Inorder to rotate thegear 34 and thereby set thealarm; gear train a U-shaped frame member35is formed to be attached to themain' frame members 11 of the clockworkin much the same manner that the frame member 13 isattached thereto. The

frame piece 35 forms a bearing support for a shaft I-Htwhich carries atits inner end a spur gear ll) meshing with the spur 3% on the shaft 33and carries at its outer 'end a knurled thumb piece 37 through theoperation of which the pointer 38 can-be moved to the hour indicated onthe dial 339 at which it is desired to have the switch operatingmechanism act to close the contacts 2'? and 99 to thereby close theappropriate circuit.

It will be seen that a simple and efiicient device for the purpose hasbeen devised which can be readily attached to existing and standardforms'of motor vehicb as well as other clocks to bring about theoperation of a circuit controller for lighting the lamps on the vehicleat a predetermined evening hour or for any other appropriate or desiredpurpose The placing of the controls 21 and 37 for the device in aposition coni-eniently reached by and accessible to the operatorovercomes the necessity for removing'the clock from its-seat to set oradjust the mechanism so that the automatic turning on of the vehiclelights at a de ired hour can be readily accomplished.

*lVhat I claim is 1. In a circuit controller attachment for a clockfittedwith an operating mechanism adapted to be released for actuationat a predetermined hour, a circuit closer, an arm mounted on the wlndingstemof the mechanism and arranged to operate the circuit 7 closer whenthe mechanismis released for actuation,a-setting arm mounted to freelyturn on the winding stem and having a one- .vvay connection with theoperating arm whereby to turn the operating arm and winding stem to setposition, said setting arm being movable to a position to permit theoperating arm to swing tocircuit controlling POSItlOII- when the windingstem 1sbe withdrawn to permit the shaft to operate when subsequentlyreleased said arms being located at the back of the clock.

. 3. In a circuit controller attachment for motor vehicle clocks of thetype adapted to be seated in an opening in the vehicle instrument board,said clock including a mechamsm adapted to be released for actuation ata predetermined hour, an arm mounted on the winding stem of themechanism at the back of the clock, a circuit controller arshaftadjacent the winding shaft, a crankarm carried by the shaft to turn"therewith,

and a link connecting lhe crank arm on the setting shaft with thesetting arm whereby to actuate the same.

111 a circuit controller attachment for motor vehicle clocks of the typeadapted to be seated in an opening in the vehicle instrument board, saidclock including a mechanism adapted to be released for actuation at apredetermined hour, an arm mounted on the winding stem of the mechanismat the back of the clock, a circuit controller arranged to be operatedby the arm when the stem is released for operation, a setting armmounted to freely turn on the winding stem, a lug on the operating armadapted-to be engaged by the setting arm in one direction of movement, asetting shaft extending from the face of the clock to a positionadjacent the setting arm, a crank arm on the setting shaft, and a bowedlink connecting the crank arm and the setting arm, whereby rotation ofthe setting shaft in one direction will set the operating arm and lockthe parts in inoperative position through a locked-oncenter dispositionof the bowed link with relation to the projecting endof the settingshaft and rotation of the setting shaft in the opposite direction willpermit the operating arm to move when the winding shaft is released. I v

5. In a circuit controller attachment for motor vehicle clocks, aU-shaped frame member adapted to be attached to the spaced apart framepieces of the clock works, a shaft journaled in said frame member andterminating in a hand turning member adjacent the face of the clock, acircuit controller actuating arm mounted on the winding stem ofoperating mechanism included in the clock and arranged to actuate thecircuit controller when the shaft is released for rotation by themechanism, an outwardly extending lug carried by said arm, a second armon the shaft rotatable relatively thereto and arranged to engage saidlug to thereby swing the first-named arm and stem toinoperative positionand wind the mechanism, a crank on the shaft, and a link connectionbetween the crank and second-named arm, said link being bowed to engagea stop at the end of the shaft to thereby lock the parts in inoperativeposition.

(3. In a circuit controller attachment for motor vehicle clocks. aU-shaped frame member adapted to be attached to the spaced apart framepieces of the clock works, a shaft j ournaled in said frame memberandterminating in a hand turning member'adjacent the face of the clock,'a circuit controller actuatingarln mounted on the winding stem ofoperating mechanism included in the clock and arranged to operate whenthe shaft is released for rotation by the mechanism, an operatingconnection between the inner end of the shaft jonrnalcd in theframemember and the. winding stem for setting the controller actuating armand the wind- 1ng stem, and Silld openat'ing connection below ingarlapted to hold the actuating arm in in- JOSEPH sfwleems.

